Automatic timing device for closed circuits.



E. H. PLAISTED & A. 0. BLACK.

AUTOMATIC TIMING DEVICE FOR CLOSED cIRcuITs.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. NH].

Patented May 28,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

M i. a a F Hu, m E

E. H. PLAISTED & A. 0. BLACK.

AUTOMATIC. TIMING DEVICE FOR CLOSED CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. I9I7}.

1 ,267,690. Patented May 28,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

M H. PLAISTED AND ARTHUR 0. BLACK, 01' BUTLER, PENNSYLVATTIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.

Application fled February 20, 1917. Serial No. 149,815.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that we, EARL H. Pmrs'rnn and ARTHUR 0. BLACK, residents of Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Timlng Devices for Closed Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electrical devices, and more particularly to a devlce for automatically timing a closed clrcult, such as used in telephony.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for indicat ng, in minutes and fractions thereof, the time during which a telephone call circuit is closed, and for actuating a final si nal at the expiration of a desired period 0 time for which the device may be adjusted.

A further purpose of the presenteinvention is to provide a device of this character which may be included in telephone circuits already in use, and which is relatively simple in construction and comprising but relatively few parts.

The invention is primarily intended to in dicate to a telephone operator, the exact time during which any circuit is closed to thus provide a positive means for determin ing the time, which at present is left to the judgment of the operator who handles the calls.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described, and in part understood, from the following detailed descri tion of the present preferred embodiment o the invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a timing device constructed accordin to the present invention, parts being bro en away, and parts indicated in dotted line.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the device, showinga section through one side thereof.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a section through the opposite side of the device.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the device of this invention and the circuits connected thereto. j I

Referring to these drawings, wherein l1ke parts are designated by similar characters provided at one end, which may be termed the inner end, with an uprig t 11 from which forwardly projects a magnet 12. The

magnet 12 is provided with a core 13 provided upon its outer end with a relatively fiat depending pole-piece 14 overhanging the base 10.

The upright 11 pivotally supports the in ner end of an armature 15 which extends outwardly and terminates substantially beneath the pole-piece 14. The upright 11 is also provided with a bracket arm 16 which extends outwardly over the magnet 12 and terminates substantially above the polepiece 14. The arm 16 is provided with laterally extending studs orprojections 17 adapted to support a second armature 18.

The second armature 18 is of bell-crank formation and has one arm thereof projecting downwardly into closely spacedrelation from the pole-piece 14. The opposite arm of the armature 18 is normally held against the upper side of the bracket arm 16 by means of a leaf spring 19 secured at one end to the bracket arm 16 and bearing at its free end against the adjacent free extremity of the armature 18. The spring 19 normally urges ering 21 of brass or the like to insure the quick release of the armature 15. when the pole-piece 14 is denergized.

The magnet 12 is provided with three windings; a light winding 22 adapted to produce a relatively weak magnetic flux at the pole-piece 14 to attract the armature 18, a larger winding 23 adapted to augment the winding 22 and increase the magnetic flux of the magnet, and a third winding 24 which may be wound in an opposite direction from the winding 23, and which is of the same capacity as the magnet 23 to neutralize or denergize the same.

Preferably mounted upon the base 10 at the outer end of the magnet 12 is a vertical support or bracket 25 carryingatransversely extending spindle 26. A ratchet wheel-27 is mounted on the spindle 26 and is adapted to be intermittently advanced in one direction of rotation by means of a pawl 28. The

awl 28 may be in the form of a relatively Eat spring metal strip secured at one end to the armature 15, adjacent to the p voted end of the latter, and being sprung sllghtly upward from the armature at the outer end thereof, and being turned upwardly for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 27. The armature 15 and the pawl 28 are so adjusted that upon each actuation of the armature the wheel 27 is advanced one tooth.

The armature 18 is provided with an outwardly extending spring arm 29 which overhangs the wheel 27, and is provided upon its free upturned end with a depending spring dog 30 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 27 to hold the latter from retro rade movement. A. drum 31 is connecte to the ratchet wheel 27 to turn therewith, and is provided upon its peripheral surface with circumferentially extending rows of graduations indicating fractions of a minute. The ratchet Wheel 27 and the drum 31 are normally urged to turn in one direction by a spring 32, the latter having one end secured to the drum, and its opposite end secured to the support 25.- The drum 31 is rovided upon one side with a radially projecting lug 33 adapted to engage a stop pm 34 carried by the support 25 for normally holding the drum and the ratchet wheel in a predetermined position of rest.

The support 25 carries a contact pin 35 which is located adjacent to the stop pin 34, and which is adapted for engagement with the lug 33 when the drum and the ratchet wheel substantially complete a full turn.

As shown in Fig. 2, the drum 31 is preferably mounted upon one side of the ratchet wheel 27, and the latter is provided upon its opposite side with an outwardl extending contact finger 36 adapted to wipe across a plurality of closely spaced-apart circuit closing segments 37, 38, 39 and 40. These circuit-closing segments are secured to the support 25 and have interposed between them and the support an insulation 41, of mica or the like. The circuit closing segments are provided in their adjacent ends with socket openings 42 into which may be fitted plugs 43 for connecting any two or more of the segments together.

Referring now to Fig. 5,44 designates a circuit which may be associated with a subscribers telephone line, trunk or connecting circuit, adapted to be closed by a switch 45 in the form of a j ack-plug, a key or the like. The wire 44 is connected through binding post 46 and branch wires 47 and 48 with the windings 22 and 23, respectively. The opposite end of the winding 22 is connected by wire 49 and binding post 50 to battery or exciter 51 and is then grounded.

ably of that type adapted to complete a revolution every minute, and the tappets 55 are preferably arranged at ninety degrees apart to en age the circuit closer 53 at intervals of fi teen seconds. The opposite side of the circuit closer 53 is connected to a batter or exciter 57 which is grounded.

ne end of the winding 24 of the magnet is connected to the wire 52, and the opposite end thereof is connected by wire 58 to the fixed contact pin 35, in the path of the intermittently rotatable member.

The segment 40 is connected by binding post 59 to wire 60 which leads to an exciter 61 which is grounded through Wire 62, the wire 62 including a lam 63, or the like.

The operation of the evice is as follows:

When the apparatus associated with subscribers line, trunk or connecting circuits is closed, by means of the device 45, the circuit closed is through wire 44, branch 47, winding 22, wire 49, exciter 51, and to ground. The current passing through this circuit energizes the magnet 12 suificiently to actuate the armature 18 and move the dog 30 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 27. The continuously rotating minute wheel 56 brings one of the tappets 55 into engagement with the circuit closer 53 to close the same and complete the following .circuit: wire 44, branch 48, winding 23,

wire 52, circuit closer 53, exciter 57, and to ground. The magnet 12 is thus reinforced as the circuit is closed through both of the windings 22 and 23, and the magnetic influence of the pole-piece 14 is of sufiicient flux strength to not only hold the armature 18 against the pole-piece, but to also lift the lower armature 15, move the pawl 28 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 27 and advance the latter one step.

, The tappet 55 is carried past the circuit closer 53, and the circuit through the same is thus broken. The ratchet wheel 27 is turned against the tension of the spring 32, and the dog 30, which is at all times held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 27 when the circuit is closed through wire 44, holds the ratchet wheel and the drum 31 from turning backwardly. Thus, as the tappets 55 are successively brought into engagement with the circuit closer 53, the ratchet wheel and the drum are intermittently advanced in the same direction and against the tension of the spring 32.

The circuit closing segments 37, 38 39, and 40 are arranged in a circular row, and thesegment 37 is spaced from the stop pin '34 a sufiicient distance to affect the lapse of exciter 61, the wire 62 and through the lamp 63 to ground. T us, at the end of three minutes the lamp 63 will be energized to give a visual indication of the lapse of the time.

The segments 37, 38 and 39 are of such length that it requires a lapse of two minutes of time for the contact arm 36 to wipe across each of the same. By successively removing the plugs 43 the time'interval between the closing of the call circuit through the wire le and the closing of the lamp circuit may be increased.

Should the circuit through wire 44 be held closed for a suflicient length of time to impart to the ratchet wheel 27 one complete turn, or substantially a turn, the radial projection 33 is brought into engagement with the contact stud 35 to connect the drum 31, which is grounded as shown in Fig. 5, with one end of the reversely wound coil 24:. When the minute wheel 56 actuates the circuit closer 53, the circuit is equally divided through the coils 23 and 24:, the latter coil neutralizing or deenergizing the action'of the 'coil 23. Thus, the lower armature 15 cannot be raised when the circuit closer 53 is closed, andthe dog 30 is held at all times in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 27 to prevent the same from returning to normal position, and consequently prevent the immediatecontinuance of the intermittently actuated mechanism.

As soon, however, as the switch or device 45 is opened, the coil 22 is denergized and the magnetreleases the armature 18. The springlfi). now returns the dog 30 to its nor mal inactive position above the ratchet wheel 27;, andg the spring 32 is now free to rotate the drum 31 and the ratchet wheel 27 back pormal position of rest.

the of course understood that the seg- 1ii entsf3 7, 38,, 39.and 40 may be in any desired number. and of any desired length to adapt the device to the various desired conditions ofuse. Various, other modifications may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of circuits of the above-specifically describedembodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

7 We claim flfThe combination with a main circuit adapted to. be closed, a yielding time indicator normally held at a predetermined position of rest, means in said main circuit actuated when the latter is closed to prevent the retrograde movement of the time indicator, a time circuit adapted to be closed subsequent to the closin of the main circuit, and means in the circuit for advancing the indicator when the main circuit is closed, both of said means being adapted to release the time indicator when said main opened, whereby the indicator is adapted to automatically return to normal position of rest.

2. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, of a time indicator yieldingly held in a predetermined position of rest, retaining means included in the main circuit adapted to engage the indicator and prevent the retrograde movement thereof when the main circuit is closed, a time circuit adapted to be closed, advancin means in said time circuit for actuating t e indicator when the main circuit is closed, and a neutralizing circuit including the time indicator and said time circuit and adapted to retain the advancing means from opera tion when said-indicator has moved through a predetermined distance, said retaining means being adapted to release the indicator when said main circuit is opened and said indicator being adapted to return to its normal position'of rest when released.

3. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, of a magnet provided with three windings, one of which is included in said main circuit, a time circuit including a second winding and adapted to be closed at times to increase the potential of the magnet, the third winding of said magnet being a reverse winding, and a neutralizing circuit including the reverse winding and adapted to be closed for neutralizing the magnetic influence of the second winding.

4. In combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, a magnet provided with a single core and a pole-piece at one'end, a

retaining armature arranged adjacent to said pole-piece, an advancing armature arranged adjacent to said pole-piece, a time indicator arranged between said retaining and advancing armatures and adapted to be controlled thereby, said magnet having a winding included in said main circuit for actuating the retaining armature upon the closing of the main circuit, the magnet also having a second winding, a time circuit in cluding the second winding and adapted to be closed at times to augment the first winding and attract the advancing armature when said main circuit is closed, said magnet being further provided with a third reversely wound winding, and a neutralizing circuit including said third winding and the time indicator and adapted to beclosed by the latter at a predetermined time for neucircuit is tralizing the magnetic action of said second winding of the magnet.

5. The combination with a main 'circult adapted to be .closed, of an intermittently actuated device, electric means in said circuit adapted to retain said device trom retrograde movement when the clrcuit is closed, a time circuit connected to said means and adapted to be closed therethrough at predetermined times to augment the operating capacity thereof and advance said devlce, a deenergizing circuit connected to sa1d means and to sa1d device and adapted to be closed upon a predetermined advancement of the latter to deenergize said means and release the device, and means for returning the device to normal position when said main clrcuit is open.

6.' The, combination w1th a mam circuit adapted to be closed, of. a magnet including a grounded winding connected in said mam circuit for energizing the magnet, a time indicator, a retaining armature arranged adjacent to the magnet for operation thereby to retain the indicator from retrograde movement upon the closing of said main circuit, a second armature arranged adjacent to the magnet for engagement with said indicator to advance the same, said magnet being provided with a second winding, a time branch circuit including said second winding and adapted to be closed therethrough and through the main circuit at predetermined times for increasing the magnetic influence of the magnet to attract said second armature and advance the indicator, 'said magnet being provided with a third reversely wound winding, and a deenergizing circuit including said third winding and said indicator, and adapted to be closed by the latter at predetermined times for neutralizing the magnetic influence of said second winding. 7. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, a magnet having a winding included in said main circuit and being grounded, a time indicator, operable means adapted to be actuated by the magnet to retain the indicator from retrograde movement, a second winding on said magnet, a time circuit adapted to be closed at predetermined time intervals through said second winding to increase the magnetic influence of the magnet, advancing means associated with the magnet to be actuated thereby under the magnetic influence of both of said windings to advance the time indicator, and means for arresting the operation of the time indicator when.advanced to a predetermined extent.

8. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, a magnet having two coils one of which "being included in said main circuit, to energize the magnet upon the closing of said main circuit, a rotary tlme indicator including a ratchet wheel, an armature associated with said magnet and pro-- vided with a retaining dog adapted for interlocking engagement with the teeth of said tuate said second armature to advance the time indicator, a third reversely wound coil carried by the magnet indicator, a third C11- cuit including the third coil and the indicator and adapted to be closed therethrough when the latter is advanced a predetermined distance, said third coil when energized being adapted to neutralize the magnetic action of said second coil and arrest the operation ofthe said second armature, and means for returning the time indicator to its normal position of rest when said main circuit is open. f

9. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, an actuating device included in said main circuit, a time indicator associated with said actuating device to be moved thereby, a splring connected to said indicator for norma y urging the same into a predetermined position of rest, and a deenergizing circuit including the indicator and sa1d actuating device to arrest the operation of the latter upon the advancement of the indicator at predetermined distances, said spring being adapted to return the indicator to normal position when said main circuit is open. 7

10. The combination of a main circuit ada ted to. be closed, an actuating device inclu ed in said main circuit, a time indicator associated with said actuating device and adapted to be advanced thereby, a projection on said indicator, a stop adapted to engage the projection, a spring for normally holding the indicator in osition to engage the stop against the pro ection, a contact pin arranged in the path of said rojection, and a neutralizing circuit including said contact pin and indicator and said actuating device to arrest the motion of the latter when said projection engages the contact pin.

11. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be closed, of an actuating device included in said main circuit, a time indicator associated with said actuating device, said indicator being provided with a contact arm movable therewith, a row of contacts arranged in the path of said contact arm, a signal circuit including the last contact of the row, and means for connecting two or more contacts of the row to include the same in said signal circuit and vary the time of closing the same during the operation of the indicator.

12. The combination with a main circuit adapted to be cl0sed, of actuating means included in said main circuit, an indicator associated with said actuatin means, said indicator being provided wit a movable contact arm, a row of spaced-apart contacts in the path of said arm adapted to be consecutively engaged thereby, a lamp circuit connected to the contact at the end of the row, and plugs detachably fitting between the contacts to electrically connect the desired number of the same in the row and vary the period of time from the operation of the indicator to the closin of the said lamp circuit.

ARL H. PLAISTED.

ARTHUR 0. BLACK. 

